Travel

By Greg Aragon California is full of hidden gems. One of my favorites is the seaside town of Oxnard, where lonely beaches give way to island vistas, while small town charm mixes with gourmet restaurants, fascinating museums and one of Southern California’s most beautiful resort hotels. The hotel is the luxurious Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel &…

By Greg Aragon Besides being one of California’s most productive wine producing regions, Lodi is also full of natural beauty, charm and history. I recently spent a couple days in town and I already can’t wait to return for more. My getaway began when a friend and I took the 5 Freeway north from Pasadena…

By Greg Aragon Germany is well known for popular tourist destinations such as Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and Cologne. But as I recently discovered, there is a fascinating city on the Rhine River that can hold its own among the country’s best travel spots. The city is Düsseldorf, a place where ancient history and postmodern…

By Galen Patterson A few opening lines of “Moby Dick” read: “Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet, and especially whenever my hypos get…

By Greg Aragon Did you know there is an historic and lavish presidential retreat just outside of Palm Springs, in the small desert town of Rancho Mirage? If you didn’t know about this, then you are not alone. Until my last visit to the area, I had never heard of it either. But this all changed…

By Greg Aragon California’s majestic Central Coast is speckled with hidden gems lining the Pacific Ocean and none shine brighter than the tiny town of Cayucos by-the-Sea. This is especially true in spring, when the temperature rises, flowers blossom along the hillsides and the city hosts its annual Sea Glass Festival. Located off California Highway 1, halfway between…

By Greg Aragon I’ve signed my name on all kinds’ forms and documents over the years, but never on a massive steel beam bound for the top of an exciting, new construction project. And I’ve definitely never signed anything while standing next to a two ft.-tall Megellanic penguin dressed in his black and white birthday suit….

By Greg Aragon Catalina is not just an island paradise; it’s a very close island paradise, which makes it a perfect day or weekend getaway for Southern California residents. In fact, at only 24 miles across the sea from Long Beach, the place can be reached by boat in one hour. With this in mind, a friend and…

By Greg Aragon The year 2018 is upon us and that means it’s time to look ahead to new and exciting adventures for Greg’s Getaway. But before I do this, I would like to look back on 2017 and a few of my favorite California getaways from the past year. After reviewing my map and hundreds of…

By Greg Aragon Chile is one of the most beautiful and unique places on earth. Located on the eastern coast of South America, the country may look small and unassuming but as I recently learned, it has everything a discerning traveler could want. My “journey” to Chile began at a mansion in Beverly Hills recently,…